Gibson

Last name:
Gibson

SDB Popularity ranking:
131

This notable surname is one of the patronymic forms of the popular medieval pet-name "Gib", itself a short form of the personal name "Gilbert", which was introduced into England by followers of William the Conqueror after the Norman Invasion of 1066. The Norman name was originally found as "Gislebert" or "Gillebert", and is composed of the Germanic elements "Gisil", meaning "hostage" or "noble youth", and "berht", meaning "bright" or "famous". Gilbert became a very popular given name in England during the Middle Ages, and generated a great number and variety of variant forms, such as: Gibson, Gibbs and Gipps, all meaning "son of Gib".
Gibson is found most frequently in the northern counties of England, and in Scotland. Recordings from English Church Registers include: the marriage of Jana Gibson and Robitus Edwardes on February 7th 1551, at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London; the christening of Alice Gibson on May 10th 1574, at St. Paul's, Bedford, Bedfordshire; and the marriage of Edward Gibson and Alice Person on May 3rd 1581, also at St. Paul's. An early recorded namebearer to settle in the New World Colonies was Joseph Gibson, aged 20 yrs., who embarked from the Port of London on the "Globe" in August 1635, bound for Virginia. The Coat of Arms most associated with the family is a blue shield, three storks rising proper, the Crest being out of a gold ducal coronet, a lion's gamb proper grasping a red club spiked gold. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Gibsone, which was dated 1311, in the "Records of the Borough of Nottinghamshire", during the reign of King Edward 11, known as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.